Once the armies have been selected, set up the figures using the Order of Battle as a reference. This provides the information about the units; their strengths; status and standing orders; together with any scenario-specific rules or orders.
There is no specific protocol for setting up the game. In due course a proposed layout will be added together with terrain. However, in the meantime, it is only a game and so the minutae or not so insgnifcant issues such as terrain and troop position can be agreed between combatants before setting out the table.
There are no dice in this game ( they are all virtual within the DOSDEMAYO rules engine) and so the only tools that you will need to play the game is a tape measure and a phone / tablet / PC , depending upon your preference.
If you wish to make any changes to orders then this can be done at this point but it is recommended that you wait at least 3 rounds before making changes to games based on the pre-set scenarios or until the appropriate round if the scenario sets further limitations.
Please Note that you will get a Dialog box appear every time you access the ACTIVATE function. This is to prevent you accidentally running the sequence incorrectly as once Activation has occured it cannot be undone. The implications of this will become more apparent as you get further into the game.
The only issues of protocol to observe are in the declaring of charges and the movement of routing units.
Where a unit wishes to charge another unit, then the attacker declares this. The attacking unit is placed at 50 paces or metres from the target unit (assuming that this satisfies the movement distance rules) and no further action takes place until the end of the Movement part of the phase. The actual contact or failure to make contact will be determined at the start of the BLACK POWDER or the CLOSE COMBAT phase depending upon the circumstances.
Where a unit is charged and opts to counter charge, then the attacking and counter units are placed within 50 paces or metres of each other having moved each unit pro-rata for the move. Again, the result will be determined at the start of the BLACK POWDER or the CLOSE COMBAT phase.
Routing units will move their whole move in a direct line away from the cause of their rout in the direction of the rear of the table unless blocked by enemy units in which case they will choose the line of least resistance towards a table edge.
Small arms fire assumes that each side will fire first on alternate phases so that one whole turn will be British and then the French will fire first on the next Black Powder round. It is down to the players to determine this.
Black Powder also covers skirmishing fire for designated skirmish units. Refer to Tactics Reference for further guidance on skirmishing rules
Subject to the last point, each side will fire any units in a position to do so and then the other side will fire. Where appropriate morale issues will be decideed during the Black Powder phase of each round.
The first units to fire in this phase will be those who have declared a charge in the Activation & Movement phase. Results will be provided by the DOSDEMAYO rules engine, setting out actions required.
Artillery pieces are scaled at 1:3 rather than the 1:24 for figures. This is to enable artillery pieces to be present without overpowering the game and in keeping with the typical levels of artillery used in Peninsula War battles.
Artillery may not move and fire in the same round. This refers to gross movements and not to alignments in direction of fire.
DOSDEMAYO does not allow hits on the artillery piece itself but rather calculates the number of surviving individual figures to determine the number of pieces in operation.
Close combat actions with artillery by infantry or cavalry will determine whether the pieces are spiked or not as a part of the settlement of the CLOSE COMBAT phase in the DOSDEMAYO rules engine.
Artillery will fire cannister if there is an enemy unit within range to the front (alignments can be made). Otherwise if firing, the type of projectile can be chosen by the player in the BLACK POWDER phase.
Rockets are not currently deployed in these rules.
If you wish to make any changes to orders then this can be done at this point but it is recommended that you wait at least 3 rounds before making changes to games based on the pre-set scenarios or until the appropriate round if the scenario sets further limitations.
Please Note that you will get a Dialog box appear every time you access the ACTIVATE function. This is to prevent you accidentally running the sequence incorrectly as once Activation has occured it cannot be undone. The implications of this will become more apparent as you get further into the game.
If you wish to make any changes to orders then this can be done at this point but it is recommended that you wait at least 3 rounds before making changes to games based on the pre-set scenarios or until the appropriate round if the scenario sets further limitations.
Please Note that you will get a Dialog box appear every time you access the ACTIVATE function. This is to prevent you accidentally running the sequence incorrectly as once Activation has occured it cannot be undone. The implications of this will become more apparent as you get further into the game.